Clara Johnson commits to Michigan Tech
NEGAUNEE — Miners’ girls basketball player Clara Johnson announced today that she has verbally committed to the Michigan Tech women’s basketball team. It’s great news for her family who are very familiar with the MTU program.
“When I decided, my mom and dad, obviously support me with anything, they were really pumped. They both went to Tech and my mom played at Tech. She was saying that once you are there, you’re just a Tech fan all the way. You can’t really stop so she was really excited for me,” Johnson said.
Johnson earned All–U.P. Second team honors last season after averaging 11 points, 4 assists and just over 2 steals per game, stepping up following a season–ending injury to her sister Aleda in the middle of the season.
“The thing about her that separates her from everybody is she really focuses on improving the things that she doesn’t do very well, and continues to work on the thing that she does do well. With her, unlike anyone else I’ve ever coached, she doesn’t let failure effect her. It drives her more. We kind of jokingly call her a duck because she lets the water roll off her back,” head coach Brandon Sager said.
“I was very stressed this past summer. Obviously, it was good stress and it’s exciting stress. It feels really good to just know where I’m going with my life. Now when I’m working for my goals, I know what I’m working for now, instead of the options of what I could be working for,” said Johnson.
Clara’s mom, Shelly, played at MTU from 1993 to 1997.